December 2010

Sitting here typing on an American Airlines flight, en-route to the snowy enclaves of Chicago, it’s clear to me that my seatmate is stealthily stealing glances at my laptop. Perhaps it’s the incredible shock of blond hair and youthful appearance in a first class cabin that invited the glare, but more likely it’s due to the fact that my old Dell laptop looks as if it’s being held together by duct tape and a daily prayer. You think I’m joking… Take a look:

Why do I hold onto this 6-year old antique when I’ve got a brand new MacBook Pro on my desk at home? Sure, it could be the transition of my Windows-based mail system to the new Outlook 2011 for Mac or the overwhelming feeling that if I switched totally to Apple I’d start wearing slim-fit black turtle necks, but overall I’d say it’s just the comfort of not giving up the familiar. For six years, my little laptop has been my right-hand-man, surviving drops, bruises, world travel and one particular incident where it nearly fell off a balcony at The Hotel on Rivington. I guess there’s comfort in the familiar. Sure, it still processes just swell and rarely gives me the blue screen of death, but now that she’s maxed out on RAM and still showing her age, it’s only a matter of time. Dell’s days are numbered.

As with most things in life, we always go back to the familiar. Humans crave creating routine and as long as the experience is a good one, I can’t see much fault with the logic. Familiarity doesn’t always breed contempt.

If you’ve seen previews for the new Natalie Portman film Black Swan or read reviews, let me be the millionth blogger to say it’s not only one of the year’s best movies, but perhaps one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s visceral, gritty, beautiful, haunting and completely envelops the viewer. It reminded me of the classic Bob Fosse film ‘All That Jazz’ in that it floated between a very real story/issue and dreamlike state. With Black Swan, we not only care about the people we see, but we also want to know more about their back story. It’s been a long time since I’ve left a theater wondering about how the characters continue on in life or what gave them motivation to do what they did. This was simply a stunning movie. Go see it.

I was emailed a question at BenjaminNicholas.com recently, asking why I have never posted video of myself, either solo or with other guys, having sex. While it’s not the first time I’ve been asked this question, I’d like to address it here: I feel as if the industry is taking an interesting turn with the state of the economy and more escorts are going to extreme levels to invite business. Personally, I like to keep a close tab on where my image goes and how it’s being used. The cardinal rule in advertising is always leave them wanting more- And in this business, that means wanting to see you in-person, not just jack off to the video. Added, there’s a definite stigma within a higher level of clientele who don’t prefer their escort having done videos or porn- They can’t afford for people to instantly know they’re with hired help. There’s only so far you can push the envelope before totally turning people off and I believe that spreading around videos of you fucking everything that moves doesn’t do you any favors as an escort (or human being). What’s worse is that so many of these new videos include bareback play, something I think is irresponsibly stupid to say the least.

Long after I’ve retired from this crazy life, I know my education will serve me well… Having video of my sexscapades floating around on the web is not thinking ahead, it’s foolishly thinking for the moment. Not smart. I’d advise any escort out there to stay away from both the adult industry and uploading personal videos. That’s not a good marketing move- It’s just cheapening the product value. Be smart. Be safe.

I had the extreme pleasure of catching the national tour of Rock of Ages, currently playing around the country and still playing Broadway. What I had assumed would be a typical jukebox musical turned out to be a surprisingly witty, tongue-in-cheek and beautifully sung show filled with enough ‘80s tunes to kill a horse. It was shamelessly entertaining with a cast that worked hard without letting you see them sweat. For a musical that relies on bringing back the 1980‘s through it’s sound (and costumes… and script), the on-stage band was strong- not putting an updated spin on anything- but instead doing a carbon copy job of bringing you the music you know. Sound design was crisp and blew away most of the subscription blue-hairs in the front orchestra. The lighting was akin to a KISS concert. Lots of color, lasers and strobes. Overall, a fun show. Go see it.

Also saw Burlesque. What can I say about a movie that over-lights it’s lead and totally leaves Cher in the dark? I got to see every damned pore of Christina Aguilera, but had to squint to make sure it was in-fact Cher singing her torchy, 11 o’clock number. While it wasn’t the mess that Showgirls was, ultimately keeping it anywhere from cult-classic status, it was entertaining with production numbers that showed all $60 million of its budget. It’s Chicago (the musical) without a real plot. If you’re a closet-case, I’d recommend waiting for it on bluray or dvd, as it’s clear the only men walking into a theater showing of this film are overt homosexuals and men who lost bets with their girlfriends.

And okay, the above pic isn’t really Cher, but you can’t get much closer. Check out RandyRoberts.net for more info on one incredible entertainer in both Key West and Provincetown.

Want to know my secret for quickly cutting up my body, getting lean muscle and a very dry, ripped look? It’s easy. Just get strep throat for a week, lose 10lbs and then change up your workout supplements. I cut out all creatine and almost immediately my body got rid of a massive amount of water it was holding. No more bloat. I ramped up my intake of L-Arginine (a vasodilator) which is responsible for keeping a ‘pumped’ vascular look. I’m on a light diet pill for a pre-workout energy boost. Other than that, I’m just eating less, eating earlier in the day and concentrating more on lighter weights, max reps. It’s the classic male model body routine and it’s working nicely for me. If you want to speed up the process a bit, I’d even recommend looking into a light diuretic like Xpel, found at your local GNC or Vitamin Shoppe. It’s a great way to lose that last bit of water weight and really get your abdominals to pop.

Just one more trip before I take a couple of weeks to myself for the holidays and I’m still not sure where I’m going. I had considered Santa Fe or Park City for some skiing, but fear it might be too cold. Yeah, I’m a wimp. New York is always fun, but so many good Broadway shows are closing or already closed, it might not be the right time. While it’s only been cold in Texas for a couple of weeks, I had considered Key West for a speedo-clad, sunshine-laden Christmas. There’s just something wrong feeling about Las Vegas for Christmas, even though the resort offers are nice and the new Cosmopolitan Hotel opens on the 15th. Perhaps, I’ll just spend the holiday somewhere totally different and head back to Singapore. I’ve loved my time there in the past, think the food is fantastic and would love to see more of the city. We’ll see. I still have a week or so to finalize my plans.

Until we reconvene, be well readers. Your eyes continue to be appreciated,

BN

PS: And to my always-reliable ‘fans’ on Daddy’s Review website… Over five thousand views and 100+ responses in less than a week. I’m flattered. More importantly, I’m aware of what’s happening behind-the-scenes and don’t think for a second that I’m not adequately prepared. You think you’ve got me pegged down? You have no idea what I’m capable of.